Jubilarians mark 50 to 75 years of religious vocation
By William Van de Planque | On Mission
GREEN BAY, WI — The 2025 Mass of the Jubilee of the Diocesan Sisters took place at St. Bernard Parish this past Sunday, August 24, 2025.
Twenty-two religious sisters from five different orders within the Diocese of Green Bay celebrate significant anniversaries of their religious vocation this year, with jubilees marking 50, 60, 70 and 75 years.
Among the orders celebrating jubilees were: Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in Stevens Point, Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother in Oshkosh, Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross in Bay Settlement and A New Genesis Community in Green Bay.
Sisters from the Missionaries of the Word order in Baileys Harbor attended the celebration as well.
Sr. Leonette Kochan, OSF, representative for religious for the Diocese of Green Bay, greeted the jubilarians and those gathered to celebrate them with opening remarks before the Mass. She began by reminding them of the current Jubilee Year of Hope.
“Certainly, our sister jubilarians, those present here and those not able to be here with us are instruments and representatives of hope for us through (their) many years of faithfulness to community life, ministry and prayer,” she said.
Fr. Mark Vander Steeg, vicar for priests and pastoral leaders for the Diocese of Green Bay, celebrated the Mass in place of Bishop David Ricken, who was unable to attend.
Fr. Vander Steeg previously served as the vicar for clergy, allowing him to intersect with the religious communities of the diocese, which was “a great blessing,” he said.
During the Mass, the jubilarians were invited to renew their religious vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience, first made decades prior.
Fr. Vander Steeg called the sisters celebrating jubilees, “a witness of love, of chastity and obedience to the call of Christ wherever he sends us.”
Sr. Joanne Goessl was at the Mass celebrating 70 years in her religious vocation, and her story was featured in On Mission, the magazine of the Diocese of Green Bay. Read more here: onmiss.io/srgoessljubilee.
See more photos here: onmiss.io/sistersjubilee